FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

The year 1853 witnessed little in the foreign relations of the United
Kingdom to excite the public interest, except in connection with the
dangers to which the integrity of the Turkish empire became exposed.
The establishment of the empire in France consolidated the amity
between that country and the British government and people. With Europe
generally the best understanding existed. Various treaties were formed
with countries of minor power, all having a tendency to preserve peace
and promote commerce. The public were made acquainted with others which
had been made or ratified the previous year; and the expectation was
general that the repose of Europe would remain undisturbed. A treaty of
friendship, commerce, and navigation, was ratified the previous October
with the republic of Peru, and published the beginning of January. A
similar treaty was ratified at Guayaquil on the 23rd of January with the
republic of the equator. On the 1st of February, a treaty relative to
the succession of the crown of Greece was ratified in London, between
her Britannic Majesty, the French Emperor, and the Emperor of Russia.
"Declarations" were signed at Florence and Rome, on the 17th of
November, and exchanged between the governments of Great Britain and
the Roman States, "for securing national treatment to the vessels and
commerce of the one country in the other."

THE WAR WITH RUSSIA.

Early in the year, events transpired which ultimately led to a war
on the part of the United Kingdom, France, and Turkey against Russia.
Designs against the integrity of the Turkish empire had long been
entertained by Russia, and there was reason to believe that Austria
was an abettor of those schemes, in the hope of being a partaker of the
spoil. Sir Hamilton Seymour, the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg,
came to the conclusion that those two great powers were in secret league
against the Turkish empire. They dared not, however, proceed in
their plans in opposition to the will of England and France, and the
ambassadors of both countries were sounded by the czar, to ascertain
with what part of the territorial plunder contemplated they would
be satisfied. Both powers indignantly refused to participate in any
aggression against the sultan, and made known their reasons in terms
calculated to deter his imperial majesty from the like. Austria
had fomented disputes on the Turkish frontier, and threatened armed
interference wh